What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
This flight was a test flight after a condition inspection. The aircraft departed rwy 18, VMC, very light winds. The airplane rolled hard left unexpectedly to approximately 45 degrees. Unable to control the airplane, the pilot cut engine power and the airplane went down into a corn field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and empennage. The pilot reported no changes to the flight controls during inspection. Due to a fuel leak in the right wing tank, the left wing tank was filled with 11 gallons of fuel and right wing remained empty. Before takeoff, the pilot reported he set the electric aileron trim to full right to account for the heavier left wing due to fuel load.
As the FAA filed it
THIS FLIGHT WAS A TEST FLIGHT AFTER A CONDITION INSPECTION. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RWY 18, VMC, VERY LIGHT WINDS. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED HARD LEFT UNEXPECTEDLY TO APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES. UNABLE TO CONTROL THE AIRPLANE, THE PILOT CUT ENGINE POWER AND THE AIRPLANE WENT DOWN INTO A CORN FIELD. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS AND EMPENNAGE. THE PILOT REPORTED NO CHANGES TO THE FLIGHT CONTROLS DURING INSPECTION. DUE TO A FUEL LEAK IN THE RIGHT WING TANK, THE LEFT WING TANK WAS FILLED WITH 11 GALLONS OF FUEL AND RIGHT WING REMAINED EMPTY. BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PILOT REPORTED HE SET THE ELECTRIC AILERON TRIM TO FULL RIGHT TO ACCOUNT FOR THE HEAVIER LEFT WING DUE TO FUEL LOAD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.